Here’s Why You May Need a Career Coach
If you’re on the hunt for the perfect career for you, but your options look like unappealing, poor matches, you shouldn’t feel too discouraged. It takes time to find the best career match, and sometimes you need to dig deep to get there. Whether you’ve been on this journey for some time or have recently decided to pursue finding your ultimate job match, you don’t have to do it alone.
Enter a career coach who can help you pinpoint the best options. If you haven’t considered using a go-between to help you find the right path for you, here’s why you may need a career coach if you’re feeling stuck.
What a career coach does
Before you hire a career coach, you should know a little more about what they do so you know what to expect. Although a career coach can’t guarantee you’ll land your dream job, they’ll help pave the way to success through their expertise. They’ll work as an advisor to help you perfect your resume, cover letters, and curriculum vitae. They’ll coach you through your job search by first understanding what position you’re looking for and then helping you discover what job is the best fit. Plus, these expert coaches can also aid you in other harrowing aspects of the job search, such as interview practice, as well as hone your networking skills. And, of course, if you need a little extra help staying motivated, your coach will hold you accountable.
Another perspective might bring possibilities you never considered
Job hunting can be daunting, but it can be even more challenging when you’re trying to find the best career for you. If you think you’ve exhausted every possibility, you’ll be surprised to find out that you haven’t once you begin working with a career coach.
A career coach can help you break down your personal goals and put them on paper. Then, once you’ve got a solid list of must-haves, your coach will sift through ideas with you. And because jobs abound in 2022 thanks to “The Great Resignation,” you may find open positions for jobs you’ve never even heard of or considered applying for. So, by following a road less traveled, you could well be on to finding your perfect career path.
An example? I have a cousin who’s working as a project manager. Before she found this dream job, she worked in a subfield of esthetics. Although she didn’t work with a career coach, she happened to find her best fit in project management after years of searching. Since project management for social media is still a young field, some people aren’t even aware it’s an option. Incorporating a career coach will help you unearth those lesser-known positions much faster because you’ll have someone with a wealth of career knowledge at their fingertips.
A career coach can help you pursue a path that’s in harmony with your personality type
You might wonder if a career coach will work against certain aspects of your personality type because a job “mostly” fits your desires. A coach’s job is to help you find your perfect position, so if you’re an Introverted type, they won’t suggest careers that suit Extraverts better. When you hire a career coach, they’ll stick to everything important to you. If you mention your personality type and how this translates to your ideal job, they’ll incorporate these details into their job criteria, so they won’t try to box you into a position that doesn’t suit you.
A career coach will listen to whether you’re an “INFP,” for example. Taking this information into account, they won’t try to tell you to pick jobs that don’t align with your personality type and values, such as nightmare jobs for an INFP that don’t allow them enough autonomy and creativity.
A coach can help you get results faster
As you’re trying to find your career match, your endless searches on your own might leave you feeling discouraged. If you’d like to avoid wasting too much time, a career coach can help you narrow down your options fast, and their help can cut your career search down by days.
Because a seasoned career coach knows what to look for and can assist you with perfecting application materials, your quest may be a lot shorter. By pinpointing the sort of jobs you’re looking for, you won’t feel as stuck as you did before when you had no specific job in mind. Once you do know which perfect-match job you’d like to pursue, a coach’s assistance in the application and interview process can be invaluable. Because you’ve invested the time with a professional, you’re more likely to find a job that sees you as the ideal candidate.
Your coach will know how to leverage your skill set in the best way
It’s not surprising that many people struggle with perfecting their resumes or understanding how to make their skills pop on paper. If you’re transitioning from one career and want to leverage your current skills, a career coach will know how best to highlight your strengths, even if the job you’re looking for is in a different field. Because some skills are invaluable in multiple paths, such as solid communication and writing skills or leadership chops, your coach can help you get the recognition you deserve on your application materials.
Plus, you may even be able to leverage your personality type traits that stand out. For instance, many Introverts are often excellent at remaining focused and great at writing. Or, if you’re a Feeling type, you can highlight your tendency toward empathy and understanding as a personable skill that will stand out to certain employers in select fields like counseling, caretaking, or medicine.
Summing it up
Finding the best career for you can be hard work, but it doesn’t have to feel impossible. If you’re feeling stuck and at a loss for which path to take, a career coach might be what you need to kick your job search into high gear. From helping you discover what your ideal job could be in light of your personality type to tackling logistics like your resume, a career coach could send you well on your way to finding and landing your dream job before you know it.
